PREVENT HARMFUL USE OF RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION IN SCHOOLS

NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY (Thurs. Jan. 21st) TO PREVENT HARMFUL USE OF RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION IN SCHOOLS

Thursday, January 21st, Call and tell your members of Congress to support the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act (H.R. 4247/S. 2860) introduced last month by Representatives George Miller (D-CA) and Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA) and by Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT).

This legislation would provide students with and without disabilities vital protections against abuse in schools.

Please call your Representative this Thursday, January 21st, and ask him orher to co-sponsor H.R. 4247. Then, call on your Senators to co-sponsor S. 2860.

Please encourage your friends, family and coworkers to participate, as well.

Find out the names of your US Senators and Representative.

On Thursday, call the US Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Ask for the offices of your US Senators and Representative. You can also email them.

Ask to speak to the legislative aide working on education issues.
Identify yourself as a constituent and the organization that you represent (if any).

Message: “I am calling to urge (Senator ) to co-sponsor S. 2860,
legislation preventing harmful use of restraint and seclusion in schools.”

Message: “I am calling to urge (Representative) to co-sponsor H.R. 4247,legislation preventing harmful use of restraint and seclusion in schools.”

Important Points to Stress:

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found widespread incidents of significant injury and even death as a result of harmful restraint and seclusion in schools.

Research confirms that restraint and seclusion are not therapeutic, nor are these practices effective means to calm or teach children, and may have an opposite effect while simultaneously decreasing a child’s ability to learn.

Children are protected from inappropriate restraint and seclusion in other settings, such as hospitals, health facilities, and non-medical community-based facilities.

Restraint and seclusion are ineffective at managing behavior in students with and without disabilities in comparison to more positive approaches, such as school-wide positive behavior supports (PBS).

Thanks for your advocacy! We can’t do it without you!